The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, April 1, 1980-Page7 Carter submits balanced budget to Congress -From AP and UPI WASHINGTON - President, 'Car- yesterday sent Congress his plan for balancing the fiscal 1981 budget and said it would reduce spending for federal programs by $15 billion. The proposed revisions in the budget Carter sent up in January would save an additional $2.2 billion by forcing the government to borrow less, the ad- ministration said, thus cutting total spending by $17.2 billion. Vowing "we will succeed in having a glanced budget," Carter signed a revised plan which for the first time in 12 years would not spend more money than the government takes in. "WE HAVE a real fight ahead," Car- ter said in signing the revised budget proposals. "It is not going to be an automatics thing that we succeed, but I'm absoldtely determined that we shall." He promised to veto any budget- busting bills he has to in order to meet his goal. As the centerpiece of his anti-in- flation program, Carter slashed into the 1981 spending plans of almost every department, including defense, to cut $15 billion out of the budget he submit- ted in January. He also proposed $2.6 billion in reduc- tions in the current fiscal year. The deepest cuts would be made in outlays for jobs programs, revenue sharing for the states and in gover- nment pay and retirement benefits. Even the Pentagon faced belt tightening. The defense budget still would be bigger than 1980's at $147 billion, but would include $1.4 billion in cuts from the January proposal. Saturday mail service was threatened by a reduction in the federal subsidy to the Postal Service. Carter also proposed elimination of state revenue sharing to save $1.7 billion and dropping $1 billion in anti-recession aid to cities. Carter, however, provided a half billion dollars for cities badly hurt by the cutoff in state revenue sharing. HE URGED Congress to approve the budget cuts, threatened to use his veto if legislators overspend, and said if that fails, he will ask Congress for "a tem- porary grant of extraordinary budget restraint powers." In a related development, the U.S. economy appears to be headed into its seventh recession since World War II, according to a government forecasting index released yesterday. The Commerce Department's Com- posite Index of Leading Indicators fell 0.2 per cent in February to its lowest level in more than 21/2 years. The February decline was the fifth in as many months. Three consecutive monthly declines are said to precede a recession. A recession traditionally is defined as two consecutive quarters of declining output., "IT INDICATES that the economy is beginning to slip," said Robert Gough, chief forecaster for Data Resources Inc., the nation's largest private forecasting company in Lexington, Mass. "Business is in a holding pattern. They are ready to go down." Further supporting this theory is the fact that a second Commerce Depar- tment index, this one reflecting current economic activity, fell 0.3 per cent in February after four months of weak growth. This so-called Composite Index of Coincident Indicators had risen 0.4 per cent in January and 0.1 per cent in December. The Carter administration said yesterday it expects a milder recession but worse inflation- as high as 12.8 per cent - than it forecast two months ago. A NEW estimate by the president's economic advisers, included in the revised budget, predicts consumer prices will rise 12.8 per cent during 1980 - measured fourth quarter to fourth quarter - the same as 1979. It projec- ted nine per cent inflation for 1981. In January, the administration had estimated 10.7 per cent inflation this year and 8.7 per cent for 1981. Charles Schultze, chairman of the government's Council of Economic Ad- visers, told reporters "We now are forecasting a somewhat milder and somewhat later recession than predic- ted in January and somewhat slower recovery in 1981." Budget Director James T. McIntyre said that, as part of this slower and later recession, unemployment is ex- pected to rise to 7.2 per cent by the end of this year instead of the 7.5 per cent forecast earlier. t MSA issues .-Co (Continued fromPage 1) tatives from various student gover- ents as well as leaders from dorm use councils, fraternity, sorority and co-op councils, and other student government bodies. SCOPE A perennial problem confronting the Assembly is determining the proper scope of a student government. Many candidates differ on whether MSA should limit its funding to campus- related groups or allocate funds for bying efforts and conference atten- nce in Lansing and Washington. MSA-'U' RELATIONS One of the most commonly addressed campaign issues to arise this year is MSA's relationship with the University administration. Although the Univer- sity and the Assembly are often at odds, MSA is hardly an autonomous body. . The Regents maintain a- strong in- fluence over MSA policy inasmuch as they control the Assembly's purse- ings. By authorizing the collection of $2.92 mandatory student assessment, some candidates have said, the Regents have the ability to alter VISA activities by threatening to freeze or freezing the Assembly's finances. The Regents chose this course of action last April and forced the current MSA to alter its allocations procedures. One solution to this problem would be r the Assembly to break its financial s to the administration and collect its own revenues. Few candidates, however, advocate such a radical move. Some say that without the requirement that all students fund MSA, the Assembly could not collect nearly the amount of money it needs to function. Others add that such a break from the University officialdom would also lead to an unacceptable loss of credibility for the "official student overnment." f ome candidates feel that MSA s ould move in the opposite direction - rather than strive for autonomy, the Assembly should strive for more in- fluence by electing a student to the Board of Regents. Others suggest that the Assembly should attempt to put students on the executive committees of various colleges and schools in the University. TENURE any candidates agree that decisions W give certain faculty members tenured positions are among the most important decisions made at the University, and most would like to see more student input into the process. Many students maintain that the major problem blocking such input is that tenure decisions are often made in a manner that is intimidating to many . students; the decisions are generally 4nde by upper-level departmental. eftans. ome candidates object to the ac- cusation that administrators take the political views of professors requesting tenure into consideration when making their final decisions. TENANTS UNION One of the basic concerns for all University students is housing. The MSA-sponsored Tenants Union helps students deal with housing problems, but some candidates charge that the agency is ineffective. Housing does not seem to be a high priority item for most of the candidates, but the issue may come to the forefront of the campaign if some of the. following questions are raised: Should MSA continue to support the Tenants Union? Should MSA revamp the Tenants Union or restruc- ture it and start anew? Should MSA urge the University to build or purchase more housing units for students? Should MSA co-sponsor such a progrm with the University? Should MSA urge City Council to advocate student in- terests to. a greater extent in the housing situation? CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS The question of whether or not to allocate student funds for capital im- provements to University property recently became an issue when MSA was asked to allocate funds for the proposed renovation of the Fishbowl. Those who support the investment of student money in University-owned buildings or property say that students will derive most of the benefit from im- provements, and thus should be willing to pay for a portion of them. Opponents, on the other hand, say the University will be the party which benefits the most, since the investment is on University-owned property. Opponents also say that the amount of money that may be a large, unwise investment for MSA is merely a "drop in the bucket" for the University. MINORITIES Current University minority recruitment and retention rates are the subject of widespread criticism although. minority programs are the recipients of millions of University dollars. But a viable and effective program that will bring minority students to the University - and en- courage them to stay - has not yet been developed. Most candidates agree that en- couraging the development of an effec- tive program is an important goal for both MSA and the University, but earlier plans have been tried and have failed. One fairly new proposal is to have black and minority upper- classmen go to inner-city schools and essentially "sell" the University to nin- th and tenth graders. Some candidates feel the only practical program is to recruit more minority students from other states. STUDY SPACE Some candidates agree that the 'er specti current amount of study space for students is inadequate and could be greatly improved. Many say there are far fewer study spaces available in the libraries than there are students. Candidates cite the lack of space, high noise level, and inadequate library hours as faults with the current system. Candidate proposals include carpeting the Undergraduate Library study areas obtaining noiseless rolling chairs, in- creasing library hours, and opening up- other buildings around the campus during the evening for studying. Some candidates say they must convince the administration to make these changes, but others add that they would consider an MSA capital investment for some of the improvements. SECURITY While most of the candidates say they are apalled by the number of rapes and other crimes committed on campus, they disagree on MSA's role, if any, in dealing with security problems. The main issues discussed are the in- stallation of emergency phones., im- proved lighting, and crime prevention clinics. Disagreement enters the pic- ture when candidates argue whether MSA should fund any or all of these ac- tivities, or merely suggest them to the University. Some candidates, for example, would have MSA sponsor crime preven- tion clinics and urge the University to install more phones and lights through resolutions passed by the Assembly or by direct communication with Univer- sity administrators. PARTY SYSTEM Some candidates fault the current party system, in which members of campus political parties make up a large proportion of the Assembly, forr MSA's inability to deal with some questions. Some candidates say that all too often, members of the Student Alliance for Better Representation (SABRE) and People's Action Coalition (PAC) vote with other members of their party simply for the party's sake. Political organizations like these have been called nothing more than large cliques, whose members fail to analyze important decisions. Even some mem- bers of the major parties admit that the bickering that goes on at MSA meetings is unconstructive. COUNSELING Academic counseling at the Univer- sity is not acceptable to some can- didates. Specific proposals to improve counseling include distribution of booklets which would explain requirements for specific degree programs in depth. Such booklets might also include commentary on relative difficulty of the programs, job markets, and enrollment statistics. Uniform course evaluations, other candidates urn claim, should be students to ass academic decisio e made available to all sist them in making ons. ATTITUDE The attitude of MSA members and of- ficers is a topic that all candidates must address, whether directly or in- directly. Some candidates claim the Assembly takes itself too seriously; one presidential hopeful has called MSA a "parliamentary pre-school." In any case, the attitude of individual mem- bers and officers and MSA as a whole will ultimately affect nearly every decision the Assembly makes. ALLOCATIONS MSA currently receives 97 cents of the $2.92 mandatory student assessment to use at its, discretion. A large portion of that amount is used to fund a number of student groups. Many candidates have questioned the amount of time spent and MSA revenues spent on these allocations. Some argue that funds saved from cutting back on these allocations could be used for other MSA-initiated projects. 'U, COMMITTEES One of the powerssthat MSA has guarded over the past years is the ability to appoint students to influential University decision making boards, such as the University Budget Priorities Committee and the Board for Intercollegiate Athletics. Some candidates, however, believe that these student representatives are merely tokens who have virtually no input into the decision making process. Most candidates admit there is no easy solution to "persuade" the University to take student views more seriously, but several suggested that MSA under- take petition drives on important issues to increase leverage with the Univer- sity. GRAND PIANO FIELD TRIPS CERAMICS 4-EYED FORUM THEATRE. Pilot. Program/Alice Lloyd Hall Suddenly it's the place to be PRESENTED BY THE SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES NEW GROUND: A COMING OF AGE FOR NATURAL RESOURCES FILM SERIES: MARCH 31-APRIL 4 Each evening at 7 P.M. AUDITORIUM B ANGELL HALL-FREE ADMISSION MARCH 31: Mzima: Portrait of a Spring (MCGraw Hill, 1973) and The Other Way (E. F. Schumacher) (BBC, Time-Life, 1974) APRIL 1: At the Crossroads (Stouffer Productions, 1975) and The Right Whale: An Endangered Species (National Geographic; 1976) and A Great White Bird (NFBC, 1976) b APRIL 2: The Renewable Tree (NOVA, 1979) and Where Did The Colorado Go? (NOVA) APRIL 3: Tragedy or Triumph? (U.N. Journal Films, 1975). and The New Alchemists (MFBC, 1975) and Farming and the Land (image Resources, 1977) APRIL 4: City Farmstead (Energy Productions, 1977)- and The Energy Crunch: The Best Way Out (CBS, 1979 and Solar Promise (1980) GUEST AND LECTURE PANEL SERIES APRIL 7-10,1980 Pendleton Room, Michigan Union 7 P.M. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR DETAILS CONTACT THE DEAN'S OFFICE, 3516 Dana Bldg., 764-2550 (ALL FIRMS COURTESY OF MICHIGAN MEDIA) NOW ALSO 10% OFF LIST ON ALL FOREIGN LANGUAGE REFERENCES & DICTIONARIES IN OUR MAIN STORE rrai ULJ ..""'o Io I T. FT L NEW AND USED i 'y1 S' .4 LJ u A l A I L7 I * '3 1 ': ~yp VY lUIIOL mhIR "Rnnf )AY-FRIDAY 9-5, FEATURED AT 1K RIIYRAf'K" I(l IAila'UTTn . .... 4RtA33 i - U rK V alC -L~a D -